The Broncos acquired Russell Wilson during the 2022 NFL offseason hoping he would fix the team’s long-term issues at quarterback.
Things did not go according to plan, and the Broncos cut Wilson after two disappointing seasons in Denver. That made him a free agent for the first time in his 12-year NFL career.
Some questioned exactly how much interest Wilson would draw on the open market. He posted an 11-19 record with the Broncos and oversaw offenses that ranked dead-last and 19th in scoring during his two seasons with Denver.
Ultimately, Wilson’s cheap price tag endeared him to several NFL teams. The Steelers eventually emerged as his preferred landing spot, and now, he will battle 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett for the starting job in Pittsburgh.
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Seemingly, Wilson’s No. 1 priority in seeking a new team was to find somewhere he could start, but Pittsburgh comes with a bonus. The Steelers face the Broncos in 2024, which gives the 35-year-old a chance to exact revenge against his former team.
Will Russell Wilson play the Broncos in 2024?
Yes, Russell Wilson and the Steelers will face the Broncos in 2024. Pittsburgh and Denver each finished third in their respective divisions — the AFC North and AFC West — so the two clubs will play one another because of that.
Adding to the intrigue around the scheduled Broncos-Steelers matchup is that Denver will host it. That means Wilson will return to Mile High Stadium after struggling there for two seasons with the Broncos.
It seems likely that Wilson will get an icy reception from the Denver faithful. But perhaps if the Broncos have a perceived quarterback upgrade by the time they face off, all will be forgotten.
The NFL won’t release its 2024 schedule until May, so fans must wait a while to find out when the Steelers and Broncos play. It’s worth noting that the league made Wilson’s return to Seattle — and his first game in Denver — a Week 1 “Monday Night Football” contest, so don’t be surprised if the NFL tries to give this contest prime-time treatment as well.
Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season begins Thursday, Sept. 5 in 2024. That said, the earliest a Broncos-Steelers game could be is Sunday, Sept. 8, as the Super Bowl champion Chiefs are expected to host the first NFL game of the 2024 NFL season.
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Russell Wilson career record, stats vs. Broncos
Wilson has played the Broncos three times during his career and sports a 2-1 record against them.
Wilson’s most notable win over the Broncos came in Super Bowl 48. The Seahawks thrashed Peyton Manning and Co. with their “Legion of Boom” defense in a 43-8 rout. Wilson was an efficient 18 of 25 for 206 yards and two touchdowns in that game and added 26 yards on the ground.
The Seahawks next played the Broncos in 2014 and beat them 26-20. Wilson completed 24 of 34 passes for 258 yards, two touchdowns and an interception while rushing nine times for 44 yards.
Wilson’s lone loss to the Broncos came in 2018. Denver beat Seattle 27-24 thanks to a go-ahead touchdown pass from Case Keenum to Demaryius Thomas with 11:11 left in the fourth quarter. Wilson went 19 of 33 in that contest with 298 yards and three touchdowns but tossed two interceptions, including a game-ending one on a Hail Mary at the end of the game.
Overall, Wilson has a career passer rating of 103.62 against the Broncos. Below is a look at his total stats across three games against them.
| Stat | Total |
| Record | 2-1 |
| Comp. % | 66.3 |
| Passing yards | 762 |
| Pass TDs | 7 |
| INTs | 3 |
| Passer rating | 103.62 |
The Steelers certainly hope Wilson can deliver a performance similar to those averages whenever they play Denver in 2024.
